The overall goal of this core is to recruit and retain clinical and translational researchers to continue advancing health disparities research at Meharry Medical College and accomplish the overall RCTR goals. This will be achieved through the following specific aims: Hire an independent senior scientist to provide additional mentorship Recruit and retain two clinical and translational junior researchers This core will address shortages in skilled research scientists by recruiting a senior researcher with a proven track record in clinical and translational investigation of health care disparities. He/she will also serve as a primary mentor for the to-be recruited (and other) junior scientists. The junior investigators to be recruited will be enrolled in individualized faculty development plans which will include the provision of a mentoring team (including the senior mentor) and protected time for T2-T4 translational research programs. In response to a scarcity of research mentors needed to help produce skilled scientists, this programmatic approach aims to both directly increase the number of mentors through this hiring process as well as improve the infrastructure and accountability of training and support so as to produce a sustainable pipeline of future mentors. Retention of recruits will be supported by careful attention to: recruitment packages; protected time for junior researchers; the provision of a mentored career development plan; support for the successful submission of grants and research manuscripts; and the provision of an overall MeTRC and Meharry environment that promotes the optimal conduct and growth of translational research as well as the retention of investigators. To allow the senior investigator to have adequate support for data analysis and publications, this core will also support a research assistant and a postdoctoral fellow for the senior recruit. Rigorous recruitment and selection processes will ensure strong candidates are hired. A highly structured interdisciplinary mentoring and professional development track will serve as an attractive component of the recruitment and retention strategy for promising junior scientists, who will emerge as the next generation of mentors.